Eighth International Conference on Food Studies

Abstract

A significant proportion of the cultivated vegetables are left in the field or sorted out before sale, resulting in a relatively large amount of waste in primary production, often due to high quality standards from wholesalers. In addition, the non-product parts of the plant, such as stems and leaves of broccoli, remain left on the field, and have been estimated to amount to 2/3 of the plant. Future demand of food for a growing population, goals for a more sustainable production, increased profitability for growers, as well as a new interest in plant-based products make a more efficient use of the production increasingly interesting. The aim of this project was to explore the possibilities to utilize field sidestreams of Brassica vegetables for new food ingredients to be used in products such as bread, soups or vegetarian products. Field waste (leaves and parts of stems) of cabbage, broccoli, and kale were harvested and processed to dried products and purees and were evaluated for product properties. Further, practical issues of the harvest were addressed and the processing effects on the nutritional value were determined. Future possibilities for reducing food waste in the primary production and distribution chain will be discussed.